Remote monitoring system

Abstract

A remote monitoring system provides a real-time monitoring of conditions of an apparatus, such as a power line. The remote monitoring system includes an apparatus that generates electrical signals, a remote monitoring module that is remote from the apparatus, and a transmission module. The transmission module is provided adjacent to the apparatus and transmits data that correspond to the electrical signals via a cellular network to the remote monitoring system. The remote monitoring module receives the signal and determines a condition of the apparatus based on the received electrical signal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A remote monitoring module comprising:
 a calling module configured to:
 initiate a call thereby initiating transmission of an electrical signal, and 
 receive the electrical signal; 
 
 a power signature database configured to store a plurality of power signatures of electrical signals associated with insulators of a plurality of conditions; and 
 a data analysis module configured to:
 receive the electrical signal, 
 transform the received electrical signal, and 
 compare the transformed received electrical signal with the plurality of power signatures stored in the power signature database to determine a condition of the insulator. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The remote monitoring module of  claim 1 , wherein the transform the received electrical signal comprises performing a short-time Fourier transform on the received electrical signal. 
     
     
       3. The remote monitoring module of  claim 2 , wherein the determined condition comprises a healthy condition. 
     
     
       4. The remote monitoring module of  claim 3 , wherein the healthy condition comprises a peak of the coefficient value of the short-time Fourier transform is not greater than a predetermined threshold with respect to the power signatures stored in the power signature database. 
     
     
       5. The remote monitoring module of  claim 3 , wherein the peak of the predetermined threshold comprises 40%. 
     
     
       6. The remote monitoring module of  claim 2 , wherein the determined condition comprises a moderately-aged condition. 
     
     
       7. The remote monitoring module of  claim 6 , wherein the moderately-aged condition comprises a peak of the coefficient value of the short-time Fourier transform is greater than a predetermined threshold with respect to the power signatures stored in the power signature database. 
     
     
       8. The remote monitoring module of  claim 7 , wherein the peak of the predetermined threshold comprises 40%. 
     
     
       9. The remote monitoring module of  claim 7 , wherein the peak does not occur at a predetermined interval. 
     
     
       10. The remote monitoring module of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined interval comprises once every 20 msec. 
     
     
       11. The remote monitoring module of  claim 10 , wherein the late-aged condition comprises a peak of the coefficient value of the short-time Fourier transform is greater than a predetermined threshold with respect to the power signatures stored in the power signature database. 
     
     
       12. The remote monitoring module of  claim 11 , wherein the peak of the predetermined threshold comprises 40%. 
     
     
       13. The remote monitoring module of  claim 11 , wherein the peak occurs at a predetermined interval. 
     
     
       14. The remote monitoring module of  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined interval comprises once every 20 msec. 
     
     
       15. The remote monitoring module of  claim 2 , wherein the determined condition comprises a late-aged condition. 
     
     
       16. A method comprising:
 initiating a call thereby initiating transmission of an electrical signal receiving the electrical signal; 
 maintaining a power signature database configured to store a plurality of power signatures of electrical signals associated with insulators of a plurality of conditions; transforming the received electrical signal; and 
 comparing the transformed received electrical signal with the plurality of power signatures stored in the power signature database; 
 determining a condition of the insulator based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transforming the received electrical signal comprises performing a short-time Fourier transform on the received electrical signal.